Tom Pollard, Policy and Campaigns Manager at Mind, said:

“It is offensive and outdated to suggest that someone with a disability should be prepared to accept less than minimum wage. People with disabilities, including mental health problems, can and do make a valuable contribution to the workplace and should be paid the same as any other employees.”

“Comments such as these are not helpful for people with disabilities, who already face many barriers in life. This type of remark only serves to perpetuate stigma and negative societal attitudes towards people with disabilities and has the potential to damage people’s confidence, making it even harder to get a job.”